In less than three months, the M31 initiative was joined by leftist groups and libertarian grassroots unions in 15 European countries. On March 31st, thousands took to the streets all over Europe against capitalism and neoliberal crisis regulation. There were M31 demonstrations and rallies in Porto, Lisbon, Madrid, Toledo, Bilbao, Zaragoza, Murcia, Badajoz, Aranjuez, Castro Uridales, Besancon, Bayonne, Utrecht, Frankfurt/Main, Vienna, Modena, Kiev, Ufa, Ljubljana and other Slovenian cities, Zagreb, Athens and Thessaloniki. Simultaneously, syndicalist comrades in the UK, Poland and Italy staged anti-capitalist demonstrations and direct actions. All this came just days after successful general strikes in Portugal and Spain.

As M31, we want to overcome national divisions of protest and resistance with an anti-capitalist and anti-national agenda. Last Saturday’s Day of Action was more than a symbolic first step. Our Call for Action and dozens of assemblies in the run-up provided fundamental analyses of capitalism’s current impasses and authoritarian tendencies. We successfully criticized superficial resentments against „greedy bankers“ and the like. We were able to cooperate transnationally in great solidarity, despite very diverse social realities and political backgrounds. In some countries, M31 was able to bridge traditional gaps between leftist factions. There may still be considerable differences, but we found a way to deal with them constructively. On the other hand, it remains a challenge to confront widespread political illusions about a more social capitalism. M31 protests, too, have been very diverse. We can learn a lot from them, so there will be a documentation on this site.

Now we have to start cooperating on a practical level. We’re currently working on ways to communicate and intervene effectively. For the time being, M31 homepage and facebook will serve as a platform. With the crisis still raging, and with governments aligned to save capitalism on the backs of wageworkers and socially vulnerable classes, we can expect hefty struggles ahead. Capitalism can’t escape its own constraints. It can only contain them by way of coercion, control and exclusion. To coordinate our efforts across national lines, we will provide a political timeline for the rest of the year, with first hand information by M31 groups on the ground. But it will also be necessary to get active on short notice, supporting struggles transnationally. So we’ll establish a routine for quick coordination on a practical level.

As always, self-organization is the key. So let’s get busy!